Schilling takes first step back

His right elbow broke down, six weeks and seven losses into the season.
A few weeks later, Curt Schilling felt a pop in his left knee which also required surgery, and only added to his time away from the Phillies.
While those body parts mend during a solid 54 days (and counting) away from baseball, Schilling's shoulders have been under the heaviest strain.
``We're struggling and I haven't contributed the way I'm supposed to,'' Schilling said Sunday. ``We haven't played up to par and I take the brunt of that (blame).''
While the Phillies were sinking to their sixth straight loss on a dizzying West Coast trip, Schilling, three time zones removed, took his first major stride in his comeback to join the team which he feels he has personally let down.
He allowed three hits and one run in four innings Sunday in his first injury rehabilitation start with the Red Barons. And, the 27-year-old righthander earned a full-speed-ahead clearance from several check points.
(The radar gun read impressively enough. Schilling topped out at 89 miles-per-hour in his 61- pitch rehab start against Richmond at Lackawanna County Stadium. He averaged 86 mph, lighting up the eyes of Red Barons manager Mike Quade and pitching coach Jim Wright, in his first game since May 16.
(He threw two-thirds of his pitches for strikes and had three solid innings after allowing a first-inning run.
(The medical reports were as encouraging as his pitching charts. Schilling said his right elbow and knee both felt sound after completing his four-inning outing for the Red Barons.
``My job is to get healthy, get back and make amends for what I didn't do (in the first half),'' Schilling said. ``This is the first step for me.''
From all indications, Schilling will make two more minor- eague rehab appearances, one with the Reading Phillies Friday night against Trenton and the final when the Red Barons host Ottawa on Wednesday, July 20.
Schilling, who was at odds with manager Jim Fregosi about the significance of the minor- eague rehab assignment, conceded Sunday to its importance.
``There was no give,'' Schilling replied when asked about a give- and-take between he and Fregosi on the subject. ``I think I knew all along he was right. But I've never been out before I want to get back.''
Schilling threw 11 curveballs in the game and said the absence of that pitch was the underlying reason last year's National League Championship Series MVP was 0-7 with a 5.40 earned run average.
``That's nine or 10 more than I've thrown since spring training,'' Schilling said of the curveballs. ``I wasn't able to throw them earlier (because pain caused by a bone spur). I need to be able to throw it to be successful.''
Schilling retired eight straight after an RBI single by Luis Lopez in the first inning. Lopez doubled in the fourth to break the string before Schilling closed out the inning to keep the score 1-0.
The Red Barons answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning on a tape-measure home run by first baseman Kevin Garner.
``I came back in the dugout after that inning and said, `I'm looking at 0-and-7, get me two runs,''' Schilling said. ``I need a win of some kind.''
Schilling may not have gotten that elusive win, but he did pick up steam in his bid to rejoin the Phillies.
``This has just killed me inside,'' he said. ``Hopefully, we're coming to the end of this.''

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